Culties invade San Diego for Comic-Con 2010

SAN DIEGO — Light cycles, wizards, vampires and superheroes made for another colorful Comic-Con. • San Diego's annual pop-culture convention wrapped up Sunday after four days of comic books, costumes, celebrity appearances and TV and movie previews. More than 120,000 fans attended the sold-out event at the San Diego Convention Center. They came for the toys and collectibles, the people-watching and a chance to see early footage from anticipated films. Here are highlights from those who attended the 41st annual festival.

'Tron: Legacy': How much enthusiasm will fans have for a 28-year-old cult movie? Ask the 6,000 fans who turned up Thursday to see new footage. And star Jeff Bridges, right, was there to answer fan questions. "Disney did what it needed to — the footage was solid, the fans were eager, and the December movie is well positioned as it heads into its next marketing phase," wroteLos Angeles Timesblogger Steven Zeitchik.

Runnerup: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, which reviewers got to see in its entirety.

The big loser

The Green Hornet:Seth Rogen, left, is known for stoner comedies, not caped crusading. Still the actor introduced a new trailer for The Green Hornet that the producers hoped would show the flick is taking the superhero business seriously. It didn't work. "People started exiting the panel the moment it ended," observed Slashfilm.com.

Runnerups: Steven Spielberg (Falling Skies) and Nicholas Cage (Driving Angry 3-D) both are in danger of losing fans after their Comic Con offerings.

Treading water

The city of San Diego: Comic Con grew up in San Diego, but the event could leave the city when its contract expires in 2012. Demand for passes to the four-day event grows each year — this year's Comic Con sold out by September — and cities like Los Angeles and Las Vegas could offer larger convention centers and more hotel rooms. San Diego convention planners have a few ideas on how to accommodate more fans, and attendees and local business owners polled at this year's Comic Con seem determined to keep the event right where it is. "It's like having Mardi Gras, the Super Bowl and Disneyland all at the same time," one restaurant owner told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "They want an experience that's memorable, and that's what San Diego delivers."

This report contains material from the Associated Press, LA Weekly, Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune.